Patanjali Yoga Sutras - 2 (Sadhana Pada) - English

pātañjali yōga sūtrāṇi are concise aphorisms meant to be lived, not merely understood. They read like a pocket-sized psychology of attention: how the mind gets scattered, why suffering repeats, and what kind of training makes clarity stable.

In samādhi pāda, Patanjali defined yōga as the stilling of the mind's fluctuations (chitta-vṛtti-nirōdhaḥ) and described what becomes visible when the mind is quieter: the draṣṭṛ (seer) stands distinct from what is seen. He mapped the kinds of mental movement, the role of abhyāsa and vairāgya, the obstacles that disrupt steadiness, and several skillful remedies (attitudes like maitrī/karuṇā, breath-based settling, and īśvarapraṇidhāna).

As you read, notice the chapter's rhythm: diagnosis first, then remedy; inner work and outer discipline reinforcing each other. Classical yōga commentaries treat this chapter as the practical spine of the text, because it shows how clarity becomes a stable character rather than a passing mood.

atha sādhanapādaḥ ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Now begins the chapter on disciplined practice.

tapaḥ svādhyāyēśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyōgaḥ ॥1॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The yoga of disciplined practice consists of disciplined effort, self-study, and dedication to the Lord.

samādhibhāvanārthaḥ klēśatanūkaraṇārthaścha ॥2॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Its purpose is to cultivate deep meditation and to weaken the afflictions.

avidyāsmitārāgadvēṣābhinivēśāḥ klēśāḥ ॥3॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Ignorance, egoism, craving, aversion, and clinging are the afflictions.

avidyā kṣētramuttarēṣāṃ prasuptatanuvichChinnōdārāṇām ॥4॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Ignorance is the field in which the other afflictions exist, whether dormant, weakened, intermittent, or active.

anityāśuchiduḥkhānātmasu nityaśuchisukhātmakhyātiravidyā ॥5॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Ignorance is seeing the impermanent as permanent, the impure as pure, the painful as pleasant, and what is not the Self as the Self.

dṛgdarśanaśaktyōrēkātmatēvāsmitā ॥6॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Egoism is the identification of the seer with the power of perception.

sukhānuśayī rāgaḥ ॥7॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Craving is the latent pull that follows pleasurable experience.

duḥkhānuśayī dvēṣaḥ ॥8॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Aversion is the latent push-away that follows painful experience.

svarasavāhī viduṣō'pi tathārūḍhō'bhinivēśaḥ ॥9॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Clinging to life, flowing instinctively, is firmly rooted even in the wise.

tē pratiprasavahēyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ ॥10॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The subtle afflictions are removed by resolving them back into their source.

dhyānahēyāstadvṛttayaḥ ॥11॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Their active movements are removed through meditation.

klēśamūlaḥ karmāśayō dṛṣṭādṛṣṭajanmavēdanīyaḥ ॥12॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The storehouse of karmic impressions is rooted in the afflictions, and it bears experiences in this life and in unseen (future) conditions.

sati mūlē tad vipākō jātyāyurbhōgāḥ ॥13॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When the root is present, its ripening produces birth circumstances, lifespan, and experiences.

tē hlādaparitāpaphalāḥ puṇyāpuṇyahētutvāt ॥14॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those results are experienced as pleasure or pain, because they arise from virtue and non-virtue.

pariṇāmatāpasaṃskāraduḥkhairguṇavṛttivirōdhāchcha duḥkhamēva sarvaṃ vivēkinaḥ ॥15॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
For the discerning, all conditioned experience is ultimately unsatisfactory, because of change, suffering, latent impressions, and the conflicting movements of the qualities of nature.

hēyaṃ duḥkhamanāgatam ॥16॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Future suffering is to be avoided.

draṣṭṛdṛśyayōḥ saṃyōgō hēyahētuḥ॥17॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The cause of what is to be avoided is the conjunction (mis-identification) of the seer and the seen.

prakāśakriyāsthitiśīlaṃ bhūtēndriyātmakaṃ bhōgāpavargārthaṃ dṛśyam ॥18॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The seen world, consisting of the elements and the senses, has the nature of illumination, activity, and stability, and exists for experience and for liberation.

viśēṣāviśēṣaliṅgamātrāliṅgāni guṇaparvāṇi ॥19॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The stages of nature's qualities range from the manifest to the subtle, the merely marked, and the unmanifest.

draṣṭā dṛśimātraḥ śuddhō'pi pratyayānupaśyaḥ ॥20॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The seer is pure seeing itself, yet it witnesses mental contents.

tadartha ēva dṛśyasyātmā ॥21॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The very nature of the seen is for that purpose (for the seer).

kṛtārthaṃ prati naṣṭamapyanaṣṭaṃ tadanyasādhāraṇatvāt ॥22॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
For one whose purpose is fulfilled, the seen is as though ended, yet it is not ended for others, because it is shared.

svasvāmiśaktyōḥ svarūpōpalabdhihētuḥ saṃyōgaḥ ॥23॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Conjunction is the cause for recognizing the true nature of the owner (seer) and the owned (seen).

tasya hēturavidyā ॥24॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The cause of that conjunction is ignorance.

tadabhāvātsaṃyōgābhāvō hānaṃ tad dṛśēḥ kaivalyam ॥25॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
With the absence of ignorance comes the absence of conjunction; that is the removal of suffering and the seer's freedom.

vivēkakhyātiraviplavā hānōpāyaḥ ॥26॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Unbroken discernment is the means to the removal (of suffering).

tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā ॥27॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
In its culmination, wisdom has seven stages.

yōgāṅgānuṣṭhānādaśuddhikṣayē jñānadīptirāvivēkakhyātēḥ ॥28॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Through practicing the limbs of yoga, impurities are destroyed, and the light of insight shines forth toward discernment.

yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayōṣṭāvaṅgāni ॥29॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The eight limbs are ethical restraints, disciplines, posture, breath regulation, sense-withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption.

ahiṃsāsatyāstēyabrahmacharyāparigrahā yamāḥ ॥30॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The ethical restraints are non-harming, truthfulness, non-stealing, wise restraint, and non-possessiveness.

jātidēśakālasamayānavachChinnāḥ sārvabhaumā mahāvratam ॥31॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When not restricted by class, place, time, or circumstance, these become the great universal vow.

śauchasantōṣatapaḥ svādhyāyēśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ ॥32॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The observances are purity, contentment, disciplined effort, self-study, and dedication to the Lord.

vitarkabādhanē pratipakṣabhāvanam ॥33॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When disturbed by harmful thoughts, cultivate their opposite.

vitarkāhiṃsādayaḥ kṛtakāritānumōditā lōbhakrōdhamōhapūrvakā mṛdumadhyādhimātrā duḥkhājñānānantaphalā iti pratipakṣabhāvanam ॥34॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Harmful thoughts - whether acted on, caused, or approved, and whether mild, moderate, or intense - are rooted in greed, anger, and delusion, and they bring endless suffering and ignorance; therefore cultivate their opposite.

ahiṃsāpratiṣṭhāyāṃ tatsannidhau vairatyāgaḥ ॥35॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When one is firmly established in non-harming, hostility is abandoned in one's presence.

satyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyāphalāśrayatvam ॥36॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When established in truthfulness, actions bear reliable results.

astēyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarvaratnōpasthānam ॥37॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When established in non-stealing, all kinds of "treasures" come to one.

brahmacharyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīryalābhaḥ ॥38॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When established in wise restraint, vigor and strength are gained.

aparigrahasthairyē janmakathantāsambōdhaḥ ॥39॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When established in non-possessiveness, understanding of the circumstances of birth arises.

śauchātsvāṅgajugupsā parairasaṃsargaḥ ॥40॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From purity arises dispassion toward one's own body and reduced clinging-contact with others.

sattvaśuddhi-saumanasyaikāgryēndriyajayātmadarśana-yōgyatvāni cha ॥41॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
And from purity arise clarity of mind, serenity, one-pointedness, mastery of the senses, fitness for Self-knowledge, and the capacity for direct inner seeing.

santōṣāt anuttamaḥsukhalābhaḥ ॥42॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From contentment comes the highest happiness.

kāyēndriyasiddhiraśuddhikṣayāt tapasaḥ ॥43॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Through disciplined effort, as impurities diminish, the body and senses gain capability and refinement.

svādhyāyādiṣṭadēvatāsamprayōgaḥ ॥44॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Through self-study comes communion with one's chosen guiding ideal.

samādhisiddhirīśvarapraṇidhānāt ॥45॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Through dedication to the Lord, meditative absorption is attained.

sthirasukhamāsanam ॥46॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Posture is steady and easeful.

prayatnaśaithilyānantasamāpattibhyām ॥47॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It is mastered by relaxing effort and by attuning to the boundless.

tatō dvandvānabhighātaḥ ॥48॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From that comes non-disturbance by the pairs of opposites.

tasmin sati śvāsapraśvāsayōrgativichChēdaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ ॥49॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When that is established, breath regulation is the regulation of the movement of inhalation and exhalation.

(sa tu) bāhyābhyantarastambhavṛttirdēśakālasaṅkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭō dīrghasūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
That breath regulation has external, internal, and suspended modes, and is observed and regulated by place, time, and count; it becomes long and subtle.

bāhyābhyantaraviṣayākṣēpī chaturthaḥ ॥51॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The fourth breath regulation goes beyond the external and internal fields.

tataḥ kṣīyatē prakāśāvaraṇam ॥52॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From that, the veil covering clarity is diminished.

dhāraṇāsu cha yōgyatā manasaḥ ॥53॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
And the mind becomes fit for concentration.

svaviṣayāsamprayōgē chittasvarūpānukāra ivēndriyāṇāṃ pratyāhāraḥ ॥54॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Sense-withdrawal is when the senses no longer connect with their objects and, as if, follow the nature of the mind.

tataḥ paramāvaśyatēndriyāṇām ॥55॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From that comes the highest mastery of the senses.

iti pātañjalayōgadarśanē sādhanapādō nāma dvitīyaḥ pādaḥ ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Thus ends the second chapter of Patanjali's Yoga teaching, called "The Chapter on Practice."

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